Betrothed To Prince Zuko
by blooddancer101
Summary: Zuko bowed and asked, “So did you finally find an agreement with the water tribe?” The fire lord nodded and said, “They agreed to sign the peace treaty on one condition. You marry the water tribe’s princess. Which I thought was a good idea." ZukoXoc
1. Chapter 1

At the water tribe homes, Princess Yuki walked into her room quietly as she had heard the news about the treaty. Yuki thinks, _"So I am going to marry Prince Zuko. I hope he and I will like each other enough to try and be friends." _Yuki knew that Zuko and she wouldn't probably like each other in the beginning, but they would like each other later on in the marriage. So she decided that she would go to the fire nation and get to know the prince. Yuki arranged a set of boats to take her and her family to the fire nation. They would be there in three days.

Princess Yuki sat in her boat tent alone. She was given a picture of the prince and she sat there starring at it. She traced her fingers across the outline of his face. Yuki wondered what Prince Zuko was really like. Princess Yuki was lost in thought, when her mother came into her tent. Her mother asks, "What are you thinking about Yuki?" Yuki says, "I am thinking about Prince Zuko. Have you ever met him?" Her mother shook her head. Yuki says, "That's too bad. I want to know what he is like so bad."

Yuki put the picture of Zuko down and looked at her mother. Yuki asks, "Is there something you want to talk about?" Her mother nods and says, "I want to talk to about this marriage. If you don't want to go through with it, you don't have to. I want you to know that." Yuki says with a smile, "I know I do not have to do this. I want to do this mother. I can save our people by doing this." Her mother shook her head and said, "You don't get it. Once you marry Zuko, you are bound to him forever. Do you understand?"

Yuki nodded and looked down at the floor. She asks her mother, "You don't want me to marry the fire prince, do you?" Her mother shook her head. Her mother says, "I am worried he will treat you badly after you are married to him." Yuki asks, "Like father did to you?" Her mother nodded slowly. Yuki says, "I don't think Prince Zuko would hurt anyone unless he had to." Her mother looks at her and asks, "How do you know for sure?" Yuki shrugged and said, "I don't know for sure. I just have a feeling." Her mother smiled and said, "Then I will trust your judgment towards him." Yuki smiled and hugged her mother.

Finally after three long days, Yuki and her family arrived at the fire nation. Yuki was the first to get off the boat. She bowed to the fire lord out of respect. The fire lord says to her, "Welcome to the fire nation Princess Yuki. I hope you had a safe journey coming here." Yuki smiles and says, "Thank you for letting us come here early my lord. I am honored to be here." She adds, "It was a great trip here my lord." The fire lord smiled and said, "I am glad to hear that. My son Zuko is still preparing your chambers for you. I must say you have an odd taste in colors for a water bender." He guided her into the fire nation's royal estate.

Yuki asks, "Why do you say that my lord?" The fire lord says, "Your favorite colors are red, black, and blue. I have always thought water benders only liked the colors light blue and white." Yuki smiles and says back to him, "I don't like to blend in with people. Why go through life unnoticed when you are to stick out is what I always say." The fire lord smiled and said as he sat her down in the living quarters, "I will have Zuko meet you here in a few minutes. Now if you excuse me, I must have a meeting with your parents."


	2. Chapter 2

Zuko had just finished lighting some candles in her room. He looks up his Uncle not too far behind him. Zuko's bandage fresh on his eye. His uncle pats his shoulder as a messenger left the room. "Your bride to be is here." Zuko looks over his shoulder one eye bandaged and the other one flaming mad. "I never wanted an arranged marriage and now I really don't want one uncle. Look at my eye. She is being forced to marry a monster!" His Uncle Iroh patted his shoulder and says, "Beauty is in the eye of the artist, my nephew." Zuko turns and snaps at his uncle. "She didn't do this!" He stopped himself and took a deep breath. "I am sorry uncle." His uncle pats his shoulder once more. Then says, "How do you think her parents are taking the bad news of you being exiled and her being exiled with you because she is your bride." Zuko glares at the door. "I will get my honor back uncle and then it won't even matter." He walks out the door and head for the princess.

Yuki looks around as she sees Zuko's ship come into view. Her mother looks at her and says, "You can still back out of this daughter. We will not think less of you for it." She looks at her mother, "You only want me to back out of this now so badly cause of father. I am not going to fear being banished mother. Zuko stood up for his people and he got banished for it. Now I don't think it is right for his bride to lose faith in him when he has already lost so much." She slowly boards his ship alone when it is time for her to leave her parents. She sees Zuko and who she figures is his uncle through the little vial that hides her face.

Zuko looked to his SGT. "Well don't just stand there go get her bags." He yelled at the man. He looks at the young girl and turns to his Uncle. "She is way too good for me my father had done this to mock me. He has really matched up beauty and the beast and Azula is probably getting her laughs out of this too." He turns back to the girl the left side of his face completely wrapped and he then he states to her. "Princess Yuki I presume." He gives a quick turn and says, "This is my Uncle he will escort you to your room. Feel free to roam the ship." He turns and goes up to the watch post.

Yuki looks at Zuko seeing the bandage for a moment. She says softly, "Your father had no right to do what he did to you." She follows his uncle without a word helping the man who was assigned to carry her bags. She arrives to her room and looks at the two of them. She says removing her vial before going into her room, "Thank you for showing me to my room." She goes inside slowly and shuts the door to unpack.


	3. Chapter 3

Zuko flinched at her comment but didn't show much after that. Uncle knocks on the door and waits for Yuki to come to the door. Zuko stands in the command deck and orders the man to pull out before anybody could even look there way and or stop them from or say anything to them. Zuko walks out of the command deck and heads down to the front of the boat. He goes to the very end of the boat and looks ahead with his good eye and just takes one deep breath as he knew his journey would begin.

Yuki was reading a scroll of her grandmother's when she heard Zuko's uncle knocking on the door. She opens the door slowly and says, "Yes? Is there something that you need?" Her eyes look at the elderly man kindly as she waits for his answer. Her hair was down quite neatly around her shoulders and back. She was not trying to upset Zuko in any way. She just spoke her mind on his father's judgment.

Uncle looks at the beautiful young woman and says, "One call me Uncle or Iroh or Uncle Iroh. Two you may have meant well but it would probably be best never to talk about his scar or his father. If he addresses you about it then just nod unless he asks for your thoughts." He smiles and touches her shoulder. "After that just enjoy your time with us and if you ever want a good cup of tea come see me." He lets out a jolly laugh and says, "Come with me Zuko should be starting his training shortly."

Yuki smiles some at the man kind words. She says, "As you wish, Uncle Iroh." She follows him to where Zuko is training. She watches calmly as she thought about things. She thinks, _"He must have a hard life even though he is or was a prince. Pain and suffering has only taught one way to see life. And I doubt he will let me show him a better way."_

Zuko turns as his left eye was bandaged and his guards came out on his left and right. Iroh stands up and says, "Prince Zuko you don't have to do this today if you don't want to." Zuko glared at his Uncle and yells back. "Now I have been two weeks without training. I refuse to let this scar slow me down!" He raised his Hands one to each guard. But because of his eye one guard was in his blind spot. Zuko screams, "Come on and don't hold back." The guard on his left fired a huge bolt of fire at Zuko. At first Zuko didn't move. Until he felt the heat of the fire ball. He leaps back and shoots six fireballs. One on each side of the men and one directly at them the men dodged them and almost ran into each other with both of them in his sights Zuko fired of two more and a flaming slash. Right at them the men stopped the fireballs and slash with two simple moves. Zuko stood there short on breath but more enraged then before he started. With that he fired two large fire balls the men froze in shock. Uncle Iroh leaped out of his chair shoving both men out of the way and then stopping both fire balls with easy. Iroh screams back at Zuko. "Control yourself or you will surely kill us all!" Zuko froze as Iroh screamed at him.


	4. Chapter 4

Yuki looks at Uncle Iroh as he yells at Zuko. She stands up and looks over the men he shot fire balls at.  
They were okay just a little shook up. She makes them some white lily tea and then has them take a break to calm the nerves. She then goes over to Zuko and Uncle Iroh and says, "Come on you two, let's just sit down and talk. Fighting and shouting doesn't work."

Zuko's eye glared around he looks at his uncle and then Yuki. "If I want tea I will make it myself he storms off the deck and heads to the back of the boat where he fired raging fireballs into the sea. The heat and the water caused a huge amount of steam to rise up behind the boat.

Yuki looks at him and says, "So much rage…" Her eyes close as she bends the water to calm herself down so she did not get mad as well. Her bend moves the water into a flute made of ice and she plays a calm soft song. She looks at the water a moment as she plays her song. The music drifts throughout the entire ship.

Zuko finished firing his rage into the water and turns and goes into the boat up to his quarters. He slammed open his door and falls down over his bed and lays there. He was tired and out of energy and he didn't feel like talking to anyone so he just laid there.

Yuki goes to his quarters calmly and knocks on the door slowly. She asks, "Prince Zuko may I come in?"  
Her voice is calm as she was trying to bond with her future husband. She waits for him to invite her in as she was a bit uneasy. She wonders if he would ever just be calm and collected with her.

Zuko stands up and removes his arm and unlocks the door he had on a pair of pants and no shirt he walks back over to his head and lays across it again. "Come on in." He turns his head the opposite direction of the door as he just laid there and waited for her to come in and say whatever she was going to say.

Yuki comes in slowly and sits down in a chair near his bed. She says, "I am sorry that things are not going the way you hoped. I mean you have gotten stuck with me as your bride to be. And I know you never wanted an arranged marriage. But I am glad my parents chose you as my future husband." She looks down at her hands some.

Zuko didn't even move as she spoke when she finished. Zuko rolled over and sits up and looks at the girl. "I don't consider myself stuck with you. I consider you stuck with me." He then stands up and pulls on a shirt and walks out of the room. He walks out of the room and into the weapons room. He looks around looking for the weapon he wished to train with. "You should try your luck with the bronze swords." Zuko turns around to see Uncle Iroh standing there. Uncle turns around and pulls the blade off of the wall. Zuko looks at his uncle and says, "I thought I was the blind one. That is only one blade." Uncle smiles and presses down on the handle and split the blade in two. He smiled and put them back together and then he tossed them to Zuko. Zuko takes the swords and looks at them. Uncle says, "Just remember one thing they are two halves of the same sword so use them the same way." He pats Zuko's shoulder and then goes to go find Yuki.


	5. Chapter 5

Yuki sighs as she was kind of relieved that he responded to her without rage in his voice. She goes up to the deck to practice her water bending since that helped her relax easier. She smiles some as she captures a living fish in her water bubble and she gently releases it back into the sea. She winces as one of her water whip moves back fires and cuts her right arm down to her wrist. She groans some and tries again.

Zuko went to practice with the bronze swords. His skill was limited but he was a fast learner. After about three hours of nonstop practice Zuko was barely able to stand but his skill with the swords had increased so great he was already moving like a master. But the training had brought him to a knee and he looked as if he was about to pass out. Iroh who was caught between Zuko and Yuki didn't know which one to help so he constantly would walk back and forth in between their training sessions. But when he saw Zuko was down he went helped Zuko to his room and laid Zuko on his bed and smiled as Zuko closed his eyes. Uncle placed the bronze sword on Zuko's chest and walks out of the room. He then goes to watch Yuki. He saw as the whip cut her arm. He walks down to here and says from a distance to train is wise but to overdo is fatal."

Yuki looks at him a moment before stopping to look at her arm. She says, "You try telling my father that." She uses some water and heals herself with it. She looks at Iroh and says, "Zuko is a very fast learner…" She sits down on the cold metal to rest before speaking again. She asks him, "Do you think Zuko and I will be able to do the whole marriage thing?"

Uncle smiles and says, "Yes my nephew is a quick learner. It is too bad he does not learn as quickly as his sister nor does he learn fast enough to please his father." He smiles at her question and pours Yuki a cup of tea. He smiles and says, "The fact that he tries to control himself when around you tells me that this can work." He shows a huge smirk and says, "He doesn't even try that for me." He smiles and takes a sip out of his tea.

Yuki slowly drinks the tea and says, "I have no siblings and my mother cannot have any more children. So my father puts a lot of pressure on me. So I kind of understand what that is like." She puts her empty cup down and thinks about this a moment. She asks, "Do you think your nephew could use some healing? I mean yes by what I can see he could use some physical and some emotional healing. He has been hurt a lot in his life."


	6. Chapter 6

Uncle looks at her says, "I don't know how good you are with water healing but even you should know you can't heal a scar. Also even if we did heal it there is no telling how my brother will react to it." He takes a huge long sip of his tea and says, "You have also forgotten to take into fact that your future husband is as stubborn as a mule and he won't let you within 200 meters of his scar or his permanent mark of shame." Uncle looks up and says, "He is in his room maybe you can have a nice chat with him. He seems to do his best to control himself around you."

Yuki looks at Uncle Iroh a moment and then goes over to Zuko's room a moment. She goes in his room slowly and sits down in a chair next to his bed. She asks, "Is there anything I can do for you? I know all sorts of healing styles." Her eyes close a moment as she waited for his answer.

Zuko doesn't even move. He opened his eyes and says, "So the eye does bother you." He rolls over and says, "I would hate to see your face when the bandages come off." He sits up when he realized the swords where in his bed. He picked them up and hung them in his room crossing each other. He then turns to Yuki and says, "Look this marriage is not going to protect your people for long I know my father has a plan to attack the North Pole. When I don't know how I don't know but he will do it." He pulls on a robe and then walks out of the room and down to Uncle who figured he would be down and had poured him a cup of tea.

Yuki looks at him a little angered and follows after him saying, "I don't mind the scar Zuko. Everyone has scars in one way or another. I have quite a few of my own. Besides I was talking about soreness and other similar things to that." She gently takes his hand and has him look at her. "You did do a lot today in training so you should really have some rest."

Zuko looks at her and says, "I welcome pain. It is a part of my life. I have always had to deal with pain rather it is emotional or physical. The only thing I do mind is the one thing I can't get rid of." He leaps up from the table steam radiating from him. Uncle jumped up and grabbed his shoulder. "Zuko it would be best of you not to anger such a beautiful flower." Zuko started to glare at Uncle when Uncle says, "Remember Zuko even a rose has its thorns." Zuko settled down and turns to Yuki. "I know you are not use to dealing with the rage of Zuko at least that is what Uncle calls it but I would like to apologize for the way I have been acting and for the way I just acted. There is no excuse for how I acted. It's just I have had a lot going on and I have no idea how to control it nor can I control my rage any more. Once again I apologize." He looks at his Uncle whose glare had faded and he gives him a bow then he turns to Yuki and forced a smile out and then walked off to his room. Uncle looks at her and says, "I didn't mean to yell but sometimes all the boy understands is more rage. I try my best not to resort to that but as you may have noticed the boy had become very thick headed so I do my best." Uncle sits down and holds up his tea kettle with a huge smile and says, "Would you like more tea?"


	7. Chapter 7

Yuki relaxes some as he apologizes to her for being a little uneasy with her. She says, "It is okay Zuko. I am use to being treated harshly. So it is no big deal to get it from you." She watches him leave before turning to his uncle. She says with a bow, "I would like to have some tea but I must rest. I will be in my room if anyone needs me." She heads to her room and closes the door behind her.

Zuko spent the night in his room. The next day, his muscles are sore. But he still forced himself out of the bed and goes to the front of the boat where he watched the sunrise. He takes a deep breath and exhales some flames while doing so. He looks at the sun and thinks of the way his life use to be.

Yuki gets up and changes in some clean clothes and then goes to the kitchen to make some breakfast as she needed to eat before she trains. She sees a guard trying to treat a burn. She goes to his side and heals burn so he could get back to work and avoid any hardship with Zuko. Her eyes grow distant as she missed her mother.

Zuko started to roam the ship as he roamed form hall to hall. He then smelt something he had never smelt before the then walked to the kitchen and looks in and sees Yuki. "You do know that there is a cook on board and you don't have to cook your own meals." He leaned against the kitchen door and says, "The cook also gets really mad when someone else cooks in his kitchen."

Yuki looks at him with a smile and says, "No he isn't. I already asked him if I could make my own breakfast." She puts her sea fruit breakfast on the table. She then works on a meat for a source of protein. She says, "I made enough for three people if you want to try my sea fruit pancakes." She looks at him.

Zuko looks at her and says, "I guess I can give it a try." He looks at her and then says, "Why did you stay? You do know you could have backed out of this marriage after finding out I was banished and nobody would have blamed you." He walks over to the table and pulls her chair out and then sits down next to her.

Yuki sits down a moment and serves him first. She says, "I stayed because all my life our parents have talked about us marrying each other. And with everything that has happened and all that you have lost, I did not think you could take another loss. Plus I don't mind being away from my family. My mother has been living with her sister since I was four. Since she left my father has been beating me almost constantly. That's why I don't mind your rage. I figure you and I can heal each other of our pains."


	8. Chapter 8

Zuko sits down and as she serves him and explains to him what is going on. His arm shoots out and grabs her arm. "You speak of healing each other yet you serve me like you are beneath me." He stands up and takes the foods form her and sits her down. "Allow me to." He places the food on the table and then he goes to get them some water. He sits down at the table and says, "Shall we eat."

Yuki looks at him as he sits her down on the table. She says, "I was raised in a society where a man comes before a woman. So it is just out of habit." She smiles some as they eat together and talk as though they have knew each other longer than a few days. As he tries her sea fruit pancakes she asks, "How do you like them Zuko?"

Zuko looks up and says, "They are very different from what I usually eat but other than that it is very good." He looked as if he might smile then the SGT. walks in and says, "Sir we have reached the earth colonies." Zuko turns to him and says, "Then continue on course." He gets up from the table and walks out with the SGT. But he turns around and says, "Thank you for breakfast." He then turns and walks back up to the deck.

Yuki looks at him with a smile and says before he leaves, "You're welcome Zuko." She finishes her breakfast and goes to Iroh so he could have some breakfast. She smiles as she finds Iroh sitting by a table drinking some tea. She sets a tray of sea fruit pancakes on the table. She says, "Uncle Iroh I thought you could use some breakfast. I made a little too much food this morning."

Uncle looks at the food and says, "It looks great and I am sure it tastes better. Then Zuko's cooking." He smiles as Zuko came out of the deck and down to the front of the boat. He looks at Uncle. "Time to start training." Uncle stands up and says, "Today you train with me." He smiles and says, "Today is what I am going to call Rage sessions. I will let you fire off anything you want. I want you to let your rage run free." Uncle walks to the front of the boat and looks at Zuko and says, "Ready when you are Zuko." Zuko looks at his Uncle partly confused of what to do.

Yuki looks at him a moment as Zuko comes out to start training. She sits down and watches the two of them calmly. Her arm was hurting like crazy even though it is healed. She smiles some as some of the men bring her some tea and a cloak to keep herself covered and warm. She relaxes some and wraps her cloak around her.

Zuko looks at Uncle and says, "Uncle Come on there is stronger fire benders aboard then you. They can do this instead of you." Uncle looks up and screams, "Zuko are you that foolish I didn't make the rank I made in the military because I was the Fire lord's son." He looks at Zuko and then fires a huge fire blast at Zuko. Zuko looked at the blast and instantly thought of what happened to him just two weeks ago. Zuko's eye shows a huge enragement as he stands firm and stops the attack and then fire's back rapidly at Uncle. He shoots huge fire blast after another. Uncle was blocking most of them like they were nothing but then Zuko fired a huge roaring fire blast. Uncle fired back into it the tow fire attacks meeting makes a huge explosion. Zuko instantly positioned himself in front of Yuki as the blast released huge flames all over the place Zuko moves his hands rapidly and the uses a wave of fire to protect Yuki but the blast sent him flying right through table. He lands on his back as the flames cleared Uncle was untouched but shaken and Zuko was trying to force himself up. Uncle didn't move but Zuko was struggling trying to get up.


	9. Chapter 9

Yuki watches them uneasy until Zuko was out cold. She tells a guard to help her get him to his room. She and the guard lay him on his bed. She gets to work healing any possible soreness he would have in the morning. She then kisses his forehead before going to her room and shutting the door behind her. Tears fill her eyes as her body begins to shake.

Uncle looked at her leave Zuko's room he walks in Zuko's room and smiles and says, "Your talent is unmatched my nephew. Your father may never have seen it but I see it. If only you could use it without losing control and relying on your rage." He smiles and rubs Zuko's head. He then gets up and goes to Yuki's room. He knocks on the door and says, "Princess Yuki may I speak with you?"

Yuki does not answer the door because she was not awake very much. After he knocks on the door three times she gets up and answers the door opening it slowly. She says rubbing her eyes "Is there something that you need?" Her eyes tired looking and dazed over from healing Zuko. Her voice soft and weak. She looks at him waiting for his answer.

Iroh looks at her and says, "You have used too much chi." He smiles and walks into her room and sits her down. "Is there something I can do to help you go to sleep?" He smiles and says, "I am pretty good at boring people to sleep." He looks at Yuki and then says, "I know you just want to help Zuko but the best way to help him is to let him be." He looks at her and holds his hand up. "Before you say anything you have to realize his strength came from nobody helping him if you help him too much he will lose the strength that has made him the powerful fire bender he is today." He looks at her. "I know it sounds cruel but if you meet his family you would know it is only child's play."

Yuki looks at Iroh a moment before saying, "Fine I will leave him be." She guides him out of her room kindly and says, "Now Uncle Iroh you yourself look like you could use some rest. So why don't you go to your chambers and rest a while? I am just going to rest on my bed for a few hours." She yawns softly and goes to her bed to rest.

Zuko wakes up a couple of hours later and was shocked only for a second. He sits up and expected to see Yuki there then when he realized she wasn't there. He stands up and grabs a sheet that his mother gave to him the only thing he had left from her. He wraps it around his bare chest and walks out of his room and to the helm of the boat. He watches the sun set. His good eye focused on the sun as his the tape to his bandage gave way and the wind blew it off his face showing the scar that now made Zuko the banished prince. He touched it. It was a little tender but not to much he pulled his hand down and his rage settled as he continued to stare at the setting sun.


	10. Chapter 10

Yuki wakes up in her bed before going to the helm of the ship to watch the moon rise. She sees Zuko was there and stays behind him sadly just wanting to cry. She says, "I would have been there when you woke up but I was very tired from repairing your body. So I went to rest." She listens to the waves against the boat as a tear goes down her face. She says, "You are so lucky to have your uncle in your life, Prince Zuko."

Zuko turns around his scar now reveled and say, "I am but did he tell you what he did when this happened." He looks up and says, "Nothing." He turns back around and says, "It is okay that you weren't there. But do yourself a favor don't tire yourself out trying to heal me." He turns around and says, "But if you want feel free to heal the big ones." He looks her over and says, "Come on up here with me." He holds out his hand to her.

Yuki takes his hand slowly and looks at the scar just for a moment. She says, "The burn that caused your scar must have hurt badly but you are still handsome when you are not angry." She gently kisses his cheek. She looks at him in the eyes not caring that he had scars on his body. She says, "It is my nature to heal people that are hurt. So when I saw you hurt, I could not help it."

Zuko looks at her and says, "Well I am sorry to say this but I don't think I will ever be happy again." He pulls her up in front of him and says, "It is calming the sun set." He looks directly act it. He then looks around the boat and says, "How am I suppose to hunt down a man that has evaded the fire nation for 97 years." He looks over the ocean and says, "There is a huge world at there." He looks back at the sun set and just stares at it.

Yuki looks at the sunset a moment and says, "The avatar may not even know that he or she is the avatar." She tenses up a moment before relaxing at what he said. She asks, "Do you really want to have your father control the world? If he could not show you anything decent imagine what he is going to do to the world…"

Zuko lets go and walks away. He stops half way down the helm and says, "That kind of talk is treason. I would suggest you keep talk like that to yourself." He turns to her and says, "I can only protect you from the men on the ship if they were to hear and report that you would have eight assassins in your room by tomorrow night." He stops in the helm and says, "I don't want another loss in my life. So next time you wish to talk to me like that wait till we dock and we can go somewhere private and talk." He looks at her and says, "Come on there is something I want to show you."


	11. Chapter 11

Yuki follows after him after a moment as she took in what he said. She comes to him his side and walks with him. She thinks, _"He does care about me…" _That made her feel a little better about this marriage deal. Her eyes look at him for a moment wondering what he had to show her. Her body made quietly next to his barely making a sound on the ship's floors.

Zuko leads her to his room and picks up a picture. The picture held four people. One was fire lord the other was Azula the third was Zuko before his burn and the last was face that hadn't been seen in a while. Zuko points to the fourth person and says, "She was my mother." He looks at her and says, "She was the only member of my family other then my uncle who like me." He touches his face and says, "If she was still alive she would have never let this happen." He puts the picture back under his bed and says, "Tonight is a full moon shouldn't you be practicing."

Yuki looks at the picture a moment before her eyes saddened. She says, "Your mother was a beautiful woman." She kisses his cheek before going up to the deck to go practice. Every move she made the waves followed her lead. She thinks about Zuko and his mother as she practices her fighting styles. What would she do if she lost her mother to this war?

Zuko watched over Yuki as she trained he would huff out a nose full of flames every now and again. The night what was cold." He smirks as he watched her every move she was beautiful and looked even better as she water bended. The full moon brought out the color in her. His smirk disappeared as a trooper walks up to him and says, "Sir we are being told to stop by commander Zhou." Zuko looks at the man and says, "Stop the boat." He walks down to Yuki and says, "We have company I need you to go to my room and wait there."

Yuki stops bending the water before nodding slowly and disappearing to his room like he asked her to. She gets in his room and sits on his warm bed with a smile as she kind of felt safe in his room. She did not want to stop with her bending but she knew not many fire benders knew about their arranged marriage. So it was better for her to wait.

Zuko glares as Zhou boarded his ship. He looks at Zhou as he walks by him and says, "Sad that the prince has been exiled." He looks at Zuko and says, "I am to make sure you get out of fire nation waters or sink you in the process." He smirks at Zuko and says, "Well I guess you should get moving scared prince you are murking up our fine water." He laughs and gets back on his boat as he orders his men to follow them. Zuko enraged storms off to his room. He flings the door open and walks over to his bed. He sits on the bed and lays across it right behind Yuki.


	12. Chapter 12

Yuki moves over a little and lies beside him on the bed. She says, "I am guessing the company was not any good company." She lays her head on his warm chest listening to his strong heart beat for a moment. She closes her eyes a moment as she thinks about things. His body was so warm and the heat made her whole body relax.

Zuko looks down as she cuddled up to him. He wrapped one arm around her and says, "It was the worst kind of company." He stares at the ceiling and says, "It was Commander Zhou. He is a ruthless fire commander and he is a huge jerk. He has hated me since I was a young boy and me being banished just gives him a nice stiff one."

Yuki says, "Well this commander Zhou person will probably have us followed." She smiles a little as she feels his arm around her. She says, "His ship is loud in the water. I could hear him coming from a hundred miles away." She looks up at him before kissing his cheek. She says, "Right now I could easily sink his ship with water bending."

Zuko glares down. Then he looks up and says, "As much as I would like to sink his ship that is treason. He won't follow us for long he is only escorting us out of fire nation water." He sits up as he hears a knock at the door. He gets out of bed and holds out his hand letting Yuki know no to move. He walks to the door opens it and goes out. The SGT says, "Commander Zhou wants to expect the boat he says we have an illegal water bender on board." Zuko glares at the man and says, "Tell the men that whoever mentions Yuki will deal with me."

He sends the man to stop the boat and tell the men. He goes back into his room and says, "Yuki come with me." He takes her hand and leads her to the back of the boat. He then pulls out a grappling hook. He tosses it way up and top of the highest part of the ship. "When Zhou's ship passes us go up this rope to the top of the boat. Lay down and stay there until I come and get you. Pull the rope up when you get to the top." He stands there and waits for Zhou's ship to pass.

Yuki nods and does as she is told. When she needs to, she climbs up the rope to the highest point of the ship. Then she pulled up the rope and lay down calmly. She was mad at this commander Zhou for ruining her time with Zuko. They were finally starting to bond as a small couple. She huffs softly and closes her eyes some.

Zhou walks up to the front of the boat and says, "I hear you have a water bender on board do explain." Zuko frowns and growls at Zhou. "I don't have to explain anything to you." He looks at his men and says, "Who ever told Zhou that lie get off my boat you can sever with Zhou." He starts to storm off and then Zhou screams out. "Turn around you spoiled ugly prince." Zuko turns around with his hands on fire. He looks at Zhou and fires a couple of blast and as Zhou backed on to the ramp Zuko fired a couple more blast and then kicks the ramp and screams full speed ahead. He runs into his room and grabs his bronze swords and then runs out and digs the swords in the metal and starts to climb up to the top of the boat and he crawls over to Yuki and he digs both swords into the roof of the boat and says, "Hold on we are about to pick up speed."


	13. Chapter 13

Yuki looks at Zuko a moment after hearing Zhou insult him so badly. She says, "If only I could put him in his place…" She holds onto a rope tightly as the boat kicks into high gear. She looks up at the moon sadly as the night was almost over. She sighs and says, "I guess I will have to master that move another night."

Zuko grabs her hips and then looks back as a huge fire ball was launched there way. Zuko looks at Yuki and says, "Go down don't let anybody see you go back to my room." He stands up and does a fire bending move. But it wasn't enough to stop the flaming stone. The stone hits and sends Zuko flying off the top of tower and into the water. Uncle Iroh throws a rope onto him and pulls him on back on to the boat he was a little banged up but not too bad. Zhou's boat stops as they leave fire nation water. Uncle Iroh takes Zuko to his room and lays him on the bed. He pats his nephews head and walks out of the room but not before looking at Yuki and shaking his head no. Uncle new the first thing she would try to do is heal him.

Yuki looks at her beloved husband to be as he was a bit banged up. She lies on the bed with him and says, "I hope you are not in too much pain." She looks over his body a moment seeing that he had minor wounds and bruises. She says, "You should be fine in a few days. But you will be sore for a while."

Zuko awoke a few hours later. He slowly sits up feeling the pain in his ribs and looks at Yuki next to him. He looks at her and didn't see her move so he slowly eased out of the bed and stands up his ribs where pretty banged up and his arm felt like it would fall off. He wobbles over to the door and drops his armor. He then grabs a sleeve less vest and puts it on. He opens the door and looks back at Yuki.

Yuki looks at him a moment as she wakes up and sees that he has left the bed. She gets up and goes to his side. "I know I am not allowed to heal you but can you please lay down in bed for a little bit." She looks over his body again and has him sit down slowly. She does not heal him but uses some normal med tools to ease the pressure on his ribs.

Zuko looks at her as she eased the pain on his ribs and says, "I can't stay down I have to look over my ship." He stands back up and makes his way to the door and then he goes to deck of the ship and looks at the tower." He looks at her and says, "I failed that fireball still made contact." Uncle walks up behind Zuko and says, "Yes it did make contact but with out your blast it should have went right through this boat." He pats Zuko's shoulder and says, "Yuki take him back up stairs and put him to rest."


	14. Chapter 14

**Yuki looks at Uncle Iroh as he asks her to put Zuko to rest. She says, "I asked him to rest but he said he had to look over his ship." She takes Zuko's arm and guides him upstairs to rest in his bed. She helps him in bed and gently covers him up. She puts some comfy chairs together as a bed next to his bed. She says, "This way you won't have to rest alone and I won't hurt you by cuddling up to you too much." She kisses his forehead before sitting down in her chair bed.**

**Zuko's hand shoots out as he grabs her hand and says, "Pain is the name of my game." He pulls her into him and says, "I rather you sleep here then on that." He looks up at the ceiling and closes his eyes.**

**Yuki looks at him and kisses him softly on the lips. She then cuddles up to him gently. Her eyes close slowly as she felt very tired. She says, "Pain should not be anyone's game Zuko. But at least you have me to help you through this journey," Her voice is soft as she drifts into a deep sleep. Her body relaxes to the movements of the ocean.**

**Zuko slept soundly he didn't move but he was very alert of his surroundings. He awoke the next morning and sneaks over Yuki and walks out to the helm of the boat where he watches the sun rise. He smiles and thinks of his mother but his smiles soon faded.**

**Yuki wakes up alone and covers herself as she gets out of the bed. She makes her way to her room to grab her hair brush. Then she makes her way back to his bed where his strong scent loomed over every little thing in the room. She cuddles into the blankets and goes back to sleep feeling the need to rest a little longer in bed.**

**Zuko waited for after the sun rise before returning to his room. He put on his fire navy uniform and sits next to the bed where Yuki laid. He watched over her he didn't move when she moved he would look to see why and then go back to watching over her. His chair leaned against the wall of the room his head leaned against the wall to as he watched over her and the door to his room.**

**Yuki wakes up slowly as she was feeling like she was being watched. She sees him and smiles saying, "Good morning Prince Zuko." She slowly sits up in the bed. She looks at him wrapping a blanket around her before going to his side. "I forgot that you rise with the sun like I rise with the moon." She kisses him softly on the lips.**

**Zuko turned his head at first when she leaned over to kiss him but as she did he turned back to her. He stands up and says, "Sorry you had to waste your full moon but, only a hand full of people know you are with me." He stands up and says, "You should go down to brig and get you some breakfast I have some damage control to do on the ship." He stands up and walks over to the door and opens it for Yuki. He looks at her and says, "My uncle should be done there when you see him tell him to find who our snitch is."**


	15. Chapter 15

Yuki looks at him a moment before smiling and leaving the room with him. She says, "I will tell your uncle what you need done. But I am not quite hungry yet. I have to be up a bit before I can eat." She kisses his cheek and goes down to the brig as he asked her to. She smiles as she sees his uncle and says, "Good morning uncle. Zuko wants you to find out who snitched about me to General Zhou."

Zuko gets a harness and walks out to the edge of wall that had been destroyed by the flaming ball. He looks up as the mean came in with more metal sheets for the wall. They put one in place and Zuko welted it down with his fire bending. He then waits for the next piece and does the same.

Uncle just looked at Yuki and says, "Of course he would give me the hard job." Uncle walks with Yuki to the deck and makes an announcement for all of the men who weren't working with Zuko which meant everybody except for two men. Uncle looks at Yuki and says, "While I inspect you check there rooms and look for a lot of money like a big bag of gold.

Yuki nods and goes to work looking through the men's rooms. She comes to his uncle's side with three bags of gold with Zhou's symbol on them. She points to the man the room belonged to and says, "How dare you endanger the men of this ship just to satisfy your greed." The man says, "What do you care water bender? We fire benders are not your people." She glares at him and says, "I don't care what people bend. We are all the same in the end."

Zuko came down the stairs and heard the comment the man made. He stops and looks at her. He then walks onto the deck and says, "Even if she is not a fire bender you betrayed your people and that means you have to deal with me." He walks over to Yuki and looks at his men. He points to the man and says, "Even if she doesn't care about your people you should and for that I want you off my ship." He smiles and says, "Men throw him overboard."

Yuki tenses up some as her body was starting to give her trouble. She falls to her knees and holds her side. She groans some and says in a whisper, "Not now…" She runs to her room as the men throw the traitor overboard. She closes the door behind her and takes her kimono off, leaving her naked in the warm room. A wound that goes down her whole right side was burning like a fire.

Zuko saw Yuki take off and turns and checks to see what was going on. When she disappeared, he then turns and says, "Uncle I need to go check on her. Can you watch over the men while I go check on..." Uncle holds up his hand and says, "Go get her Zuko." Zuko turns and runs up to her room and knocks on her door and screams, "Yuki are you okay?" He opens the doors and walks right in and then stops as he sees the naked Yuki.


	16. Chapter 16

Yuki looks at him unsure what to say and she covers her burning scar and the rest of her body up with a blanket. She says kindly with a blush on her cheeks, "Please leave my room Zuko. There is nothing you can do for me." She sits down on her bed and gets out a cream for her burning scar. Her body was shaking a little.

Zuko noted the scar. He looks at her and realized that she was naked. He backs out of the room and closes the door. He turns and goes to his room. He sits on the bed and grabs his bronze swords and goes to his secret place to practice with his bronze swords. He practices with them for another nerve racking seven hours.

Yuki finishes taking care of her scar before putting one of her clean kimonos. She then goes to his side after a while. She was kind of embarrassed of her scar. She knocks on the door before coming in slowly. She says, "I am sorry about earlier Zuko." She stays by the door just in case he did not want her near him right now.

Zuko lay across his bed, both of his arms dangling off with one half of the bronze swords in hand. His eyes closed his breath regulated. To anybody else he would have looked to be just resting or lying down but the truth was he over worked himself again and had passed out over his bed. He was so determined to master the bronze sword that he didn't even let go of the blades when he passed out. He just lay on his bed unconscious and oblivious of what was going on around him.

Yuki gets closer to him to see that he was unconscious. She sighs and says, "You are over working yourself." She takes the swords out of his hands and puts them up. Then she covers him up in the bed. She kisses him softly on the lips before leaving the room. She then waits for night to come so she can practice without eyes on her.

Zuko awakes later that evening. He walks outside to search for Yuki. He then walks out to the front of the helm and finds Yuki. The sun fades and the moon rising. He walks up behind Yuki and says, "Your time approaches the ship falls asleep and I believe you will be fine. You can practice all night if you want too." He then looks at her and says, "Where did you get your scar?"

Yuki looks at him as she practices her water whip. Her body tenses up the mention of her scar. She stops doing the water whip and looks up at the sky. "My father gave it to me when I was little. When I was about four years old, it was night and there was some noises coming from my parents' room. So I got up from my bed to see what was going on. I crept to their room as quietly as could. I opened their door to find my father punishing my mother by whipping her with some kind whip. My mother was bleeding and I got so mad that I attacked my father. But I was too weak then to beat him and that just made him madder. He used a water whip to give me that scar and puts his chi into it so it would forever cause me pain, as a painful reminder that I am just a weak useless girl."


	17. Chapter 17

Zuko was about to say something when Uncle came around the corner with roast duck and tea. He looks at Zuko and Yuki. He then says, "Have dinner with me." He looks at the two of them and says, "I won't have no for an answer." He sits at the table on the helm of the boat and asks them both to sit there. He looks at them and says, "You two are opposites yet a like you are yin and yang." He serves them both and then says, "The two of you must learn to work together train together and even think alike. There has never been a marriage of water and fire bender even in the time of peace." He looks at them and says, "It will cause you two trouble and you must learn to deal with it." He smiles and says, "Do not take my advice lightly. Now everybody dig in and enjoy the duck."

Yuki listens to his Uncle calmly and says, "Nothing that Zuko and I have ever wanted or needed has ever come easy. As long as we work together and not hide anything from each other, this is nothing we cannot overcome." She slowly drinks the tea he had served. She then makes a plate of the roast duck. She slowly tries a little bit of it.

Zuko listened but showed no sign of interest or disinterest. He looked around the boat as he had some roast duck and tea for himself. He didn't say a word he just listened and ate. He then finished and sat where he was he just stayed there and waited to see what else would happen, the starlight lighting the ship. He just enjoyed the silence.

Yuki smiles some as they both enjoyed the silence. She finishes eating and then goes to the side of the ship. She watches the waves hit the ship ever so gently. She does not say a word as a tear goes down her face. She winces some as the scar was acting up again.

Zuko just watched Yuki he saw the tear and was tempted to dash over. But instead of that he walks over calmly and sticks finger out catching the tear. He holds it out into the star light. He looks at Yuki and says, "I was once told that every drop is a potential river." He looks at her and says, "But rivers aren't meant to be everywhere. He turns his hand over dropping the tear into the ocean. He looks at Yuki and says, "Water is a part of you but it belongs out there not in here." He puts his hand on her chest. He walks back over to where he was sitting and sits back down and starts to meditate.

Yuki looks at him a moment unsure what just happened right now. She goes back to practicing her water bending so she could focus on that. Her eyes focus as she goes on using multiple whips. The water swirls around the entire boat. The water spray changes color in the air and she smiles some.


	18. Chapter 18

Zuko sat there and pretended to meditate after he finished meditating. He was proud of himself he gave advice like uncle does and he didn't screw it up. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turns and sees his uncle his uncle smiles and says, "The story also counts for fire." His uncle then turns and walks away. Zuko looked up understanding but in denial.

Yuki looks at the two of them once she is done with practicing and says, "About time I figure out how to do that water shield." Her eyes lighting up with joy and a strong sense of pride. She looks at Uncle and smiles inwardly before looking up at the sky. She had to wait another month or so to be at her peak.

Zuko looks at her and says softly, "Water shield what would you do something like that?" He looks around a little confused. Uncle puts his hand on Zuko's shoulder and says, "Maybe if you ask Yuki she will tell you." Zuko looks at her and says, "I think I will just wait to see her do it."

Yuki sighs and goes down below to get a drink to help her focus. She finds some weird looking drinks. She decides to make some raspberry tea to drink. She breathes in some as the smell of raspberries fill the air. She smiles some as the tea is done and pours some in a cup for her to drink. She sits down and sips her tea slowly.

Zuko sits on the deck and then stands up and says, "Uncle I think I will go to bed." He pats his uncle's shoulders and then walks into the stair way and up to his room. Uncle turns and goes down below to tell Yuki. Uncle smells the tea and says, "Wow you make an excellent tea." He smiles and says, "May I have some." He then says, "Oh yes I am suppose to tell you Zuko went off to bed."

Yuki smiles and pours Uncle some tea before sitting back down and finishing her own. "My mother always tells me that a respectable bride should always be able to make her husband something that will calm any troubled mind. So I mastered in tea making." She closes her eyes slightly as she thinks for a moment. "I should go to sleep soon myself but a storm is coming soon and I have trouble sleeping during any type of storm."

Uncle smiles and says, "I am a skilled artist I can play many instruments. But the best is my horn he smiles and says, "I use to play it for my nephew after the lost of his mother he had trouble sleeping." He smiles and says, "This may be a terrible war but it has brought me and him closer together and for that I am thankful." He frowns and says, "I know this sounds terrible because it is very selfish but Zuko has taken to me like another son he is like the one I lost and he treats me like a father from time to time." He smiles and pats her shoulder and says, "You should get some sleep."


	19. Chapter 19

Yuki listens to Uncle for a moment and then nods as he said she should go ahead and go to sleep. "You need to get some sleep as well Uncle. Please don't up too late." She goes to her room slowly after quietly checking on Zuko. She wanted to lay with him but she figured he would think that it was weird. She gets to her bed and curls into a small ball as the storm comes.

Uncle smiles and says, "I never stay up to late." Zuko jumped up as he heard the storm he put on his uniform and then goes up to the command deck and starts barking orders so that people knew what to do to keep the boat afloat. He then thought about Yuki. He turned and walked to her room he opened the door and could barely tell she was in the bed until after he spotted the little ball she curled up into. He walks over and sits on her bed besides her and says, "Is everything alright?"

Yuki shakes in her bed as the storm rage on like an angry bull. She looks up at Zuko fear in her eyes from the storm. She was about to say something but another crackle of thunder and lightning was heard and she jumped in his arms. Tears go down her face as she says, "Please don't let him get to me…" Her father use to beat her and her mother during storms. So she relates storms with the rage of her father.

Zuko not knowing what to do embraced her and says, "You are safe nothing will hurt you." He held on to her tightly as he walked out of her room and into his room. He lays her on the bed and strokes the side of her face and says, "Everything will be fine just relax and don't move." He sat by her side the whole time.

Yuki looks at him a moment as he carried her off to his room and put her on his bed. She says as she cuddles up to him, "I hate storms." She cuddles into him uneasy as her body continues to shake rapidly. She jumps as the storm gets louder as it goes on. She keeps repeating "I hate storms" over and over. Fear stuck in her eyes.

Zuko not sure of what to do started to rub her back and says, "I use to fear storms too but my father would come in and take me outside and make me stand in them I learned to see storms for they really where very loud clouds that rain. He lets go of her and uses his hand to lift her face up and shows the first smile he has shown since his eye was burned. He finally says, "You have nothing to worry about as long as I am here."

Yuki looks at Zuko a moment and relaxes some as she sees him smile for the first time. She says, "Okay thank you. You know you look more yourself when you smile." She strokes his cheek tenderly her touch gentle and calm. She cuddles into his chest and goes to sleep, her body gently pressing into his warm body. The storm continues to rage on through the night.


	20. Chapter 20

Zuko held on to her throughout the whole storm. He kisses her forehead and let's go of her while she slept. He made no comment about his smile. He then turned and went to his duty he watched the men as they piloted through the storm. He went back to his room the next morning.

Yuki wakes up the next morning feeling weak. She makes her way to the deck and takes some deep breaths. The sea air filling her lungs with its healing salts. She looked rather pale at the moment. Her eyes distant and dazed over. She looks at the water hoping it would help her feel a bit better. She closes her eyes and continues to breath.

Zuko got over to her room and realized that nobody was there. He then walked out and saw his uncle. He looks at his Uncle and says, "Tell the men to stop at the next Island we need to refuel and they need a proper rest." Zuko walked off into his room and fell asleep.

Yuki joins Zuko in his room an hour later and cuddles into him as she felt sick as dog. She lays her head on his chest. She sleeps soundly in his bed next to him. Her whole body weak and pale as she lays there with him.

Zuko woke up and saw how sick Yuki looked. He sat up and got a warm cloth and patted her forehead. He tucked her in sheets. He then went and got Uncle and says, "She is not feeling well at all." Uncle looked her over and says, "Don't worry I have some tea that will make her feel better." He goes and gets some tea.

Yuki looks around weakly as she could not sense Zuko's warm body heat next to her. She says, "Zuko where did you go?" Her voice was weak and shaky as she tried to talk more. She tenses up at the mention of tea. "Tea won't help me none." She lies back down and curls into a tight little ball shaking like crazy in the blanket.

Zuko walked over and grabbed her in his arms and says, "Don't worry my uncle knows everything about medical equipment and if he says the tea will help then it will help trust me." He sits her up as his uncle cooled the tea and started to pour some down her throat. Zuko held her there until she finished her first cup of tea.

Yuki swallows the tea and then pushes her way away from them both gently not wanting to hurt them. She holds her throat as she runs back outside to the side of the ship. She tenses up as her throat feels like it is on fire. Her whole body is shaking like crazy as the sickness was getting worse. "I need to get on solid ground."

Zuko follows her and strokes her back. He says "We aren't too far from it although I must admit I wasn't expecting to find a water bender who gets motion sick." He kept stroking her back and says, "Let me know when you are ready to go back inside until we get to land." He looks up at his man and says, "How far from land are we?" The man answers back. "We can see the land another twenty minutes max." Zuko smiles and says, "See Yuki we don't have much longer before we are there."

Yuki says, "It's not motion sickness Zuko." She relaxes under his touch for a moment. "I am not use to the smoke and other fumes your ship produces. I am sure it is my body's way of slowly adjusting to this new way of things. I know it sounds weird but it's true." The smoke the ship produces floats above their heads but she knew she has been breathing them in since she got on the ship.

Zuko wraps his arms around her and says, "We are almost there." He points ahead and says, "There is the island we are docking at." He strokes her back as the time passes and they reach the island. Zuko lowered the boarding ram and got Yuki off the boat as fast as possible. He takes her on shore and says, "Enjoy the fresh air." He looks at her and says, "Yeah I know the ships smoke can be over whelming but after while you will get use to it."


	21. Chapter 21

Yuki gets on shore with Zuko and breathes in the clean air. She walks around the small markets looking for certain fruits and herbs that would help her get better so Zuko would not have to worry about her so bad. She looks at him as she pays for her fruits and herbs calmly. She looks at the people a moment wishing she could know how her mother was doing.

Zuko looks around and then looks at his Uncle and says, "Follow her and make sure she is okay." He pats his uncle on the arm and then walks off to make sure his men were doing what they were supposed to do. Uncle followed Yuki to where she was and just walked beside her he didn't say anything to her.

Yuki walks around the market as she thinks about her mother. She says to herself, "No doubt father has gone back to beating you since I left, mother." She tenses up as her throat continues to bother her and she stands against a building to stop from falling over. Her eyes become hazy as she waits for the pain to subside. She sighs and continues on her walk and does more shopping.

Uncle follows her and says, "Something seems to be troubling you Yuki." He walks up to her and says, "Did you forget something at your home I am sure that we can go to the north pole and you can go get whatever it is you need." He smiles and pats her shoulder and walks with her. Zuko finished restocking the supplies he waited on the shore for all of the men to return.

Yuki looks at Uncle Iroh a moment and says, "Uncle my mother is with my father alone all the time. I can only imagine what he is putting her through. My mother is not like me. She will take a beating and not fight back. All these years my mother has been married to my father while being in love with another. I have never felt love before so I can't understand that kind of pain." She thinks a moment. "I mean I feel a great bond with your nephew but I doubt he could love me…"

Uncle Iroh looks at her and says, "Love is a terrible yet great thing. It can cause heartache but even heal the most scared hearts." He looks at her and says, "I will talk my nephew into going to your home first and we can check up on your mother." He looks at her and says, "As far as my nephew I can't really say if he loves you or not but until he learns to love himself it will be hard for him to express himself to others." He pats her shoulder and walks her to the next booth and gets some fresh fruit for them to snack on.

Yuki says, "Well whatever he feels for me I know it is not hate." She goes back to the ship and lies down in Zuko's room. She closes her eyes and goes to sleep thinking about her mother. Meanwhile back at the water tribe at the North Pole, Yuki's mother sits alone staring at the sky wondering how her daughter is getting along with the prince.

Zuko walked around the town as he approached the ship he heard a loud noise and turned to see two boulders heading his way he sends out to blast of fire that didn't seem to do much to the boulders. He side steps and dodges them as two earth benders yell. "Death to the Fire Nation!" Zuko looks at the benders enraged and says, "You two want to take on the prince." He shoots to massive fire balls at the soldiers. The soldiers pull up to walls of earth to try and block the fire attacks the fire hit the walls and exploded. It sent both men flying in the opposite direction Zuko settled down and walked back to his ship.

Yuki hears the earth benders and Zuko fight even in the deepness of her sleep. She rolls on her belly and says with a smile in her sleep, "You are such a fire cracker." Her betrothal to the fire prince is going to be an interesting life for her to live. She begins to wonder what Zuko may desire of her as his wife. Surely he desires some sort of connection with her.

Zuko reached his ship and realized he was outnumbered by earth benders. They popped out the ground and surrounded him. He got into his stance but then he was accompanied by his Uncle. The soldiers looked at his Uncle and scream the Dragon of the West take no prisoners. They hurl massive boulders at the two Uncle and Zuko made a fire orb so powerful that not even the boulders could pierce it. Then Uncle fired off some fire balls that knocked out a few Zuko fired some that were blocked his rage was fading and his fire power was dying. Then Uncle pushed Zuko back and fired off four fire balls making four big explosions Zuko was forced onto the ship as they fled. Zuko looks at his grandfather and says, "I need to more the more advance set I am to fight the Avatar soon." Uncle replies, "No you are not ready." And then he walks away.

Yuki wakes up with a jolt and goes to see what is going on around her. She saw the knocked out earth benders on the fading shore. She sighs and says to herself, "And so it begins…" She goes to her room and lies down on the bed. Her eyes close a moment as she thinks about her mother. She sits at her desk and writes a letter to her mother.


	22. Chapter 22

Zuko realizing that his uncle would not show him the advance sets stormed off to his room. When he got there he was shocked to see Uncle sitting in his room. He looks at him and says, "If you are not going to show me the advance set I have nothing to say to you." Uncle snorts roughly and says, "Then don't speak but that girl misses her mother and you know how that feels you should take her to hers while she still can see her." Zuko glares at his Uncle and says, "Tell the men to go to the North Pole and you get out of my room." He stands aside as uncle leaves his room. He then goes over to his bed and lays down on it and dozes off into a light sleep.

Yuki looks up from her desk as she feels the ship change direction. She smiles and goes to Zuko's room and kisses his forehead before leaving the room again. She goes back to her room and goes to sleep. She couldn't wait to see her mother. When they arrive at the North Pole, Yuki races off the ship and into the palace to find her.

Zuko did not move after Yuki kissed him he just continued to sleep. When they arrived there and everybody had left the ship and Yuki had taken off. Zuko sat there on ship and just waited. For what he wasn't sure, but he just waited.

Yuki looks back towards Zuko before going to get him. She gets a hold of his hand and says, "Come on Zuko. I want you to meet my mother." She guides him inside the palace and says to a guard to get her mother. Her mother arrives to their side and hugs her daughter softly. She asks, "What are you going here, Yuki?" Yuki smiles and says looking towards Zuko, "Zuko brought me home to visit." Her mother looks at him a moment and says with a smile, "It is nice to meet you Prince Zuko."

Zuko nods his head to the mother he doesn't say a word. He just looks around the water palace. He finally says, "Enjoy your time with your family." He turns and walks into the court yard where he over looked the entire city.

Yuki smiles some as she spends several hours just spending with her mother. Yuki then goes to her husband's side as he looks over the city. "Our city is the last city to remain strong in heart since this war began." She could see he was thinking about something. "I am here if you want to talk about anything." She relaxes some as she goes inside as it was growing colder.

Zuko didn't even flinch as she came out to his side. He turns to her and says, "There are more out there with heart. Nobody wants to lose their hard earned land to someone who is just going to take it from them." He looks ahead as he watches his uncle head their way. When Yuki left his side, he looks at his uncle and says, "Uncle go inside with her and watch her father if he makes a false move correct him for me Uncle." Iroh smiles and says, "Sure thing my nephew." He turns and goes inside.


End file.
